I’m Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid

I’m thinking of ending things. Once this thought arrives, it stays. It sticks. It lingers. It’s always there. Always.

Jake once said, “Sometimes a thought is closer to truth, to reality, than an action. You can say anything, you can do anything, but you can’t fake a thought.”

And here’s what I’m thinking: I don’t want to be here.

With a vague and minimal description, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is mysterious and intriguing from the get-go. It is told from the perspective of an unnamed woman who is taking a road trip with her boyfriend, Jake, to visit his parents’ farm. The woman is unsure of her new relationship and is thinking of ending things. However, the trip doesn’t go as she thought it would and things take a strange turn during an unexpected detour.

The first part of the novel is largely conversation between the girlfriend and Jake, on the philosophy of life, relationships, and loneliness. There is an eerie feel from the beginning, however it is during the second part of the novel where the thriller element really comes to fruition, with the uncertainty of what is happening and how it will all unfold. The story is very well written, and the author does a great job of creating an atmosphere that is creepy and just plain unsettling. It is a book that will most likely leave you with that “what did I just read?” feeling, and it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. For me however, it worked. It kept me guessing, changing my theory about what was happening, and best of all it had me eagerly turning the page. This is one of those novels where the more I think about it and really sit with it, the more I like it and appreciate the author’s intention and execution of the story as a whole. At 224 pages I’m Thinking of Ending Things is a pretty quick read, and one I feel is definitely worth a try.